Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-11


find polygamy harder than do Amori-
can women. The latter seem to take
to il quite naturally, but i'll England
the social forms are so far different
that to the British mind plural mar
rage Immediately presents most re-
pugnant aspect; particularly If the
woman enters the order as u second
wife. frequently have | heard them
bewailing their fate at having TO eet
Sunday dinner without their husband.
The Sunday dinner is great institu-
ten in the old country, and it is, OF
course, deeply cherished here. Often
have [ known it to have been stipu-
lated in the marriage agreement that
the husband. though he might spend
the accustomed week with the
other wife or wives, must eat
the Sunday dinner regularly with one
certain wife. Taking hold OF the hus-
bands arm in the street is another
habit they sadly miss. Some hus-
bands don't care to have a wife on each
arm, and one wife don't want to take
hold Of another wife's arm aud hang on
outside. There is often great strife
over this point. There isn't much
taking hold Of arms, though, in Utah.
The men get over that difficulty by al
lowing the custom to fall into innocu-
Gus desuetude. When our husband
took cut his wives they usually walked
10y themselves. III We went to the the
aire he provided the tickets, and we got
there singly or in pairs, just as We
pleased, end took our seats, and be
came struggling in when the play WAS
half over"
An aged English woman IN the group
told me how difficult it was for her 10
accept plural marriage at first. Now
she had been at it for thirty years she
did not want to live any other way.
Her husband had three wives and treat
ed all equally well. While she was
talking another lady joined the circle
She was about fifty, and had basket
on her arm and jaunty seabeach hat
tilted down over her nose.
"Sister So-and-So can tell you oil
about polygamy," said one of the Ia
dies she's been in it twice"
And III go into it again, if | get
the chance, " replied the sister.
Hush, interposed the first speak
er, "this gentleman is newspaper
correspondent"
"Well, l don't care. I'm not
ashamed of it."
ooh, no; but talking too much
might get your husband in the peni-
tertiary"
"He's been there once, and he's 60
ing again next month. They've got
him indicted, and he's going right up
to the court and take his six months
like little man."
"You don't seem TO be worried
about it?" L suggested.
"Why should 70" was the reply.
"If a woman is not worth six months
in the penitentiary, she's not worth
anything"
MORMON HUSBANDS PLAN.
Here in front Of me were seven wives,
each of whom shared husband with
from three to six other women, and all
testified in the most glowing terms TO
the beauties and blessings of polyga-
my. They said it was their religious
conviction that God had commanded
this mode Of life, and neither perSua-
sion nor persecution could change, or
remove, or modify their belief. The hus-
bands of some were under ground. In
deed, l think i am at liberty TO say
that one Of the women was a wife of
George Q. Cannon, short, stout, dark
haired, and dark-eyed woman. She
did not participate to any appreciable
extent In the conversation. On my
way to the hotel / met Mormon who
has three wives, two OF whom are in
exile, so to speak. / asked him some
OF the questions / had asked the co!erie
Of polygamic wives.
well, he answered, spent my
time with my wives as / pleased.
made no agreement with them, but on
tie day | married the last l gave each a